Royal Lights
by speedrunner
Summary: [ONESHOT] It had started out innocently, a topic between the girl Ino didn't pay a lot of mind to. When it was her turn to tell, however, the pictures couldn't help but to surge through, flowing into every nerve on her brain. The memory of her first kiss.


**Hello READERS,**

**It's been months since the last time I updated any of my story because school has started once again and I'm busy :D. I've been planning to make this story about Ino and Asuma for a long time and finally! Finally I can make one about them.**

**I love to think that this story as a prequel, a chapter 0.5, to my currently running story, The Prettiest Girl.**

**Ps : As always, there are grammatical mistakes ALL OVER this story, I'm pretty sure. Some I don't even realize, some I simply miss. I promise I will reread them and edit them, but at the moment I'm just glad that it's finished and I simply need this to at least be out there first.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

It all had started out pretty innocently.

An afternoon tea at 4 PM every Thursday with Sakura, Tenten, and Hinata was like a ritual Ino had followed obediently for years if she were in Konoha. They'd gather round and talk about anything and 're women and women never run out of stuffs to talk about. So, that day, when _that _topic was brought up, Ino had initially thought nothing of it. She knew very well that the rest of her friends had never had the chance to experience it, and it was only natural that they might get curious.

Then it turned from general discussion about the subject into a fantasy/experience sharing.

Sakura was the first to share her imagination with the rest of the group.

"I always want my first kiss to be Sasuke." She sighed upon the mention of the name. "It will be very romantic and sweet and all I ever want in this world."

She gave it an afterthought and turned back to the usual Sakura instead of the lovestruck Sakura she had momentarily showed the others just a moment ago. "Along with peace and triumph of medical technology, of course."

Tenten grinned. "But you're not Sasuke's first, Sakura. Is that okay?"

Sakura gave Tenten a confused look. "Whatever you mean by that?"

"You know the story … of him … and Naruto …"

"Oh please!" Sakura swatted her hands to the air. "It was nothing and that didn't count as a real kiss! Did it?" The pink haired girl checked on to her blonde friend, who was apparently thought as an expert of the matter, and Ino responded to her by shaking her head.

Sakura gave Tenten a satisfied look as the Chinese girl shrugged her shoulder.

"We'll never know though. He went rogue for a pretty long while. Who knows what kind of things he had experienced."

Sakura shook her head. "Sasuke's not that kind of a pervert!"

Ino was rolling her eyes upon the childish comment when Sakura turned to Hinata, who had stayed quiet ever since the topic began and whose face was flushed red.

"What about you, Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"God, of course it's going to be Naruto." Ino said as she smiled teasingly at her timid friend. Hinata whimpered quietly and shook her head, in which Ino suspected that aside from giving her a negative confirmation, the head shaking was also to shake whatever indecent thought she had in mind. Ino had always thought that such modesty was cute and sometimes she envied it.

It must be nice to be like Hinata. She has such an elegant beauty that was paired with excellent mannerism and even though some people may note that her timidity was a personality flaw, Ino had thought that that kind of timidity was the kind that makes every man wants to protect and shield her even though Hinata was a pretty strong fighter herself.

Ino had always thought that the Hyuuga heiress was really a woman befitting to the role of a princess.

"Leave the poor girl alone." Tenten patted her navy haired friend. "Don't soil her any more than you people already did."

Sakura turned to Tenten. "Then what about you yourself? Have you progressed with the mystery man?"

Ino let out a small smile. Everyone knew that Tenten's crush had always been Lee and yet for some reasons no one can understand, Tenten always refused to both admit her feelings and mention his name out loud. Nowadays, the girls just referred to Lee as 'the mystery guy'.

"He doesn't even realize my feeling for him. Let alone a kiss. I hope that it won't happen, but I always thought that my first kiss with him would be over something silly and completely meaningless or an accident."

Sakura, Hinata and Ino shared a look. Knowing Lee, Tenten's premonition was _very_ likely to happen, but they were good friends nonetheless, so of course they tried to cheer her up.

"I … I think your mystery guy will find the right time and it will be like a scene from a romantic comedy or something."

"Yeah. My love life's a comedy." Tenten said, irony was all over her eyes. She then turned to Ino.

"What about you, Ino?"

Ino blinked upon the question. She hadn't thought that the question would eventually be fired upon her. She closed her eyes and the pictures started to flash before her eyes.

The memory of her first kiss.

XXX

The whole thing was totally unplanned.

But that was the beauty of love, no? It always struck when it was least expected, with the least person you'd expect it to be. Love's notorious that way. Nevertheless, even with knowing that for a fact, Yamanaka Ino hadn't expected love to prove its notoriety with her. Yamanaka Ino was no stranger to the concept of love, she adored it. She went through her whole childhood reading about the beautiful and graceful princesses and the handsome and brave princes. Then she grew up, and she learned from the novels and movies that love was actually bittersweet. Ino believed that she could stand the bitterness, because she knew that something sweet was definitely going to come out after the hardship. It didn't matter that Sasuke left the village, she believed that it was only going to be temporary and soon after he came back, her love would prevail. Sure, there was a flurry of boyfriends after Sasuke's departure, she was _devastated_ for God's sake. However, Ino knew perfectly well that the love she held for them was nothing compared to the love she had for Sasuke. Sasuke was the very embodiment of the handsome prince she read so much in her childhood and that fact was not going to change. Her love would prevail.

Then she fell in love with Sarutobi Asuma.

It's as if love were laughing at her for so foolishly believing that her feeling to Sasuke would be the only love she'd ever feel so deeply. It's as if love wanted to show her that it was bigger than that. It might be complex, love is, but it was so _obvious._ At least in her case. One day he was her boring, malleable, old Sensei, then out of the blue, he suddenly became this ruggedly handsome, extremely patient and kind-hearted, attractive older man. Ino was never a sucker for older men before because they need to be in control just like Ino herself, but Asuma was a whole special case.

Love was definitely mocking her.

The first thought that registered to her mind when she came upon realization to this fact was _'No.' _then it got repeated for several times in her mind out of panic because she knew that she was going to be sucked into a vortex of a mess. It's not like she didn't try to shake it off. She tried everything, she started seeing other guys, who now simply looked childish and immature compared to her sensei. She drunk that stupid potion which was supposed to 'neutralize' her feeling, but instead it did nothing but giving her a stomachache. She got herself close with Kurenai so that she'd constantly remind herself that there was no way that she could ever top the beautiful, loving, and kind woman. She got close, yes, but instead her mind shouted that she could easily defeat her in a battle of love. Kurenai was indeed gentle and loving, but that was _boring._ Ino was confident and adventurous and that was what men liked – or at least in her incredibly subjective opinion-. She tried to think about all Asuma's bad habit, the kind that would make her lose the feeling for him. The smoking. She had hated the habit from day one, what's not there to hate? He was poisoning everybody around him for his own personal pleasure. What a selfish jerk. However, the idea of Asuma smoking now had successfully transformed from annoying and selfish to sexy and manly. It only served to frustrate her even more. Nothing worked. In the end, she chose to do the next logical step : she embraced the feeling.

"You _do_ always like Shikamaru better than the rest of us." Her tone was accusing and her lips were pouting. "It's not fair." A sigh from the Yamanaka heiress then ensued.

It was a look she had perfected for years to beat someone into guilty conscience.

Sarutobi Asuma ignited his lighter before taking a deep inhale of smoke into his lungs and exhaling it to his side, mostly because he's pretty sure he'd be dead if he exhaled it at Ino's direction. They were eating at a fast food restaurant – on Chouji's insistence – and they were currently waiting for Shikamaru and Chouji to bring their order while Asuma and Ino waited on the table.

"And this is coming from me refusing to go to the Mizugi concert at the capital with you?" His voice was husky, the kind that she never paid attention to before but found it very titillating as soon as she started having feelings for him.

She tilted her chin in vain. "No. I'm just stating the fact, your refusal merely confirms it further."

This time, it was Asuma who was sighing. Ino watched him curiously, something she'd never done before, and she decided she _loves_ the way Asuma trying to give her understanding. He's so patient and nurturing that way.

"I love my student all the same." He stated.

"I don't see you playing shogi with me every other day."

He gave her a skeptical look but Ino stood her ground and persisted on locking her gaze with his. The moment she decided to embrace her feelings for Asuma, Ino had tried to think up so many plans and ideas in order to get them closer but there seem to be none. The thing is they _are_ close, but not in the way they'd expect. Ino could be as flirty as she liked but Asuma was already used to her flirtatiousness. This is the man who had known her since forever a. Changing their relationship from a mere teacher-student to potential lovers posed a bigger challenge than what she was used to.

"Would you play shogi with me?" Asuma gave her an amused look.

"No, but you can make it up to me by actually going to the concert with me this Saturday."

Asuma shook his head. "I don't want to spend my rare, precious days off watching a concert of a band I don't even like."

"But it's your birthday present from me!" Ino pouted, showing off her pink, lush lips.

Asuma rolled his eyes as he made a small groan. "How could it be _my_ birthday present if it's not even an artist I like?"

"See! You like Shikamaru better, as always. Admit it, I know you hate Shikamaru's hideous lung-shaped ashtray as well but you don't say a thing and receive it like it was a gift from God."

"Well at least the ashtray doesn't require me to take an exhausting four days trip. It can just stay there in the forgotten corner of my house." Asuma retorted.

"So this is it? You're refusing to go to a concert which tickets are really hard to get and I fought tooth and nails just to get it." Ino dropped her head.

Asuma would have said yes out of pity had it been someone else. However, this is Ino he was facing with. The cunning, manipulative Ino. He was all too familiar with all her shady plot in order to get people to do what she wants. He wouldn't fall victim for this one.

"I'm not falling for that one." He told her stubbornly.

"Okay then." Ino shrugged her shoulder. "I'll just ask someone else to go with me to the concert."

"Great idea." Asuma agreed, relieved that the argument was finally over. "Wonder why you hadn't thought of that sooner."

"Guess I should send a letter to cancel the appointment I have with that guy who's supposed to deliver the Royal Lights at the capital as well. You won't be there, after all."

Ino tried her best to hold herself back from grinning when she saw Asuma's stunned look.

"Wait, what?"

"Oh. Nothing, I was thinking about giving you some packs of Royal Lights for your birthday present. My contact from the Sunflower Island agreed to deliver it to me and we're supposed to meet at the capital on Saturday. It's supposed to be a surprise, but you're not going anyway, so I guess there would be no harm on telling you now."

Asuma didn't respond for a moment there. He was digesting the information. Royal Lights was the most exclusive and expensive brand of cigarette in the world. It was Asuma's – and every other smoker in the world- favorite, but it's not like the cigarettes were easy to obtain. It was only produced in Sunflower Island and was only sold there, and to get to Sunflower Island from Konoha would take weeks. Even after all that trouble, a pack of a Royal Lights would cost about one and a half million Ryos. Asuma was a heavy smoker, a cigarette addict, even, but he was not stupid enough as in to indulge in those. He had one pack of Royal Lights in his house that he bought seven years ago and he only had smoked two cigarettes out of its 20. One was when he was promoted to Jounin, and another was when Hiruzen was dead. He always smoked it alone, in his room, in the dark, so that nothing and no one would disturb him. Royal Lights was supposed to be reserved for a very, very, very special occasion; that was what makes it so good too, anyway.

"When you said Royal Lights … Do you mean _the _Royal Lights?" He asked.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Is there any other thing that is called Royal Lights?"

"I don't know, you're the youngster." Asuma said.

"Yes, Sensei." Ino flashed him a saccharine smile. "It's _the _Royal Lights."

When Asuma's birthday came near, Ino initially thought on giving him what she gave him for his birthday last year; a large portion of pan roasted sausage with grape which was one of her signature recipe and, according to the Sarutobi clansmen himself, one of the reason he thanked God he got Ino as his student. Ino had shrugged it off back then, sure she was glad to be highly praised by his Sensei, but it was what it was, nothing more than a compliment. Then, Ino thought now that she had embraced her feeling something should be done differently, something that made Asuma see that she was more than a 16 year old that was his student. She immediately thought of Royal Lights, but she was well aware that nothing would have changed, to Asuma she would just splurge for his birthday gift and nothing more than that. So, when her contact said that he'd deliver the Royal Lights to the capital of Fire Country for her that was when it occurred to her. The Mizugi, a very famous jazz band throughout the world, was planning to hold a concert and a four day trip with just the two of them would be the perfect opportunity for her.

Asuma took a deep breath. "How do you get your hands on a Royal Lights?"

"Not _a _Royal Lights." Ino corrected him, a smug grin was pasted on her face. "I'm planning to give you a box of Royal Lights. All twelve packs."

Another stunned look.

"My question still stands. How in the hell do you get … _those_?"

"Let's just say that being under Ibiki's tutelage has its own perks." Ino waved her hand in a dismissive manner.

"Good God, is it illegal?"

"Please, Sensei. It's not like I kill or steal or something." Ino smiled. "I'll buy those with my own money."

"Then why at the capital?" Asuma narrowed his eyes.

Ino gave it a thought, as if she was considering whether to divulge the information to Asuma or not. "Well, let's just say that my contact is not exactly comfortable with being in Konoha and stuff."

Asuma frowned as if he were in a deep thought. Ino could only imagine that he must be in a conflicted mood now and ruthless as she was, she chose to rub it in even more.

She let out a small chuckle. "Don't be so sullen like that, Sensei. I won't be buying those anyway since you persisted on not going to the capital with me."

Asuma let out an exasperated sigh. "You're such a manipulative, cunning young woman, you know that?"

"I pride myself with it."

"Come on … Can't you just buy it and bring it to Konoha for me? You know, what with it being my birthday present and all?" Ino pretended like she gave it a thought.

"No. I'm buying you a box of cigarettes that is worth more than ten million Ryos, you get to protect it yourself to safety."

"How do you even get ten million …"

"The food's here!" Chouji and Shikamaru's arrival interrupted their conversation. They brought to tray of foods. One was for Chouji and another was for the rest of the team. Shikamaru handed Ino his salad and take a seat next to her.

"Thanks Chouji." Asuma said as he received his hot dog from the chubby guy.

"What were you guys talking about?"

"Sensei's talking me to the Mizugi concert this Saturday, you guys wanna come with?" Ino asked, knowing perfectly well that there's no way Shikamaru and Chouji wanted to go.

"No way in hell. I'm going to spend the rest of my days off sleeping." Shikamaru said. "Tsunade-sama had been ruthless to us with the missions lately."

"I'm going to eat everything I can get my hands on." Chouji admitted.

"That's too bad." Ino frowned.

"More interestingly, what do you do to get him go with you?" Shikamaru asked.

"He pretty much jumps on the chance." Ino gave her sensei a sweet smile. The bearded man shrugged as he kept eating his hot dog.

"It's Royal Lights." Asuma told Shikamaru. "She bought me with Royal Lights."

"How do you even get the Royal Lights?" Chouji asked Ino. "They're only available in Sunflower Island."

"I have my way."

"Sensei?" Chouji consulted on their Sensei to set his stance on this problem. Asuma scratched his head.

"She said she didn't steal or kill and this is Royal Lights so …"

"We're looking away from this." Shikamaru concluded for him.

"Ability to compromise is a vital trait for a shinobi." Asuma told the table, his head nodded absently; his telltale for hesitation.

"Stop with the denial." Ino shrugged. "Also, it's barely illegal and Mizugi is incredibly awesome."

"Next time, maybe you can ask somebody else to go with you instead of your old Sensei." Asuma joked.

"Maybe I can now." Ino answered confidently. "I can always give you the sausage that you love so much instead."

"I hate it when you have so much leverage over me." Asuma sighed. Ino grinned.

"What about Kurenai-sensei?" Chouji asked suddenly. "Won't she be jealous or something?"

Ino's heart skipped a beat. Honest to God, she had always been Kurenai and Asuma's relationship biggest supporter. They had known each other for so long and to her back then, it seems like they were one of those meant-to-be couple. She even ever send Kurenai a bouquet of flower from a nameless sender just so that she'd think it was from Asuma. She and Kurenai had a very good relationship and now to think that she was planning to steal her fiancé from under her nose … Ino was never good with betrayal. She had come to peace with that fact, that even after all her effort to dismiss her feeling away it still stubbornly stayed, that in the end, love had to come above all. Even though so, she just couldn't help but to feel a twinge of guilt whenever Kurenai's name was mentioned.

Asuma let out a chuckle. "Please, it's just Ino. Of course she wouldn't be jealous."

Ino put a smiling façade though deep down in her heart, she vowed to herself that by the time this trip ends, she won't be 'just' Ino to him.

XXX

She was so sure that she definitely was just exaggerating, but her heart couldn't lie. It definitely beat faster when she waited for him on their promised spot in front of the village's gate. He wasn't late, she came early. That was not unusual, but Ino had to say that this act of hers this time was not the result of her punctuality, it was for her excitement. She tried to shrug the excitement off and reminded herself that she'd been in this kind of situation a lot of time. Being alone with Asuma, that is.

Was she?

Her mind drew a quick timeline of their togetherness. Ino frowned upon her findings that she's hardly ever spent some time alone with his Sensei. Yes, there was that mission to Iwa and that weapon specialty training, but that was it. As soon as she made chuunin and team 10 was disbanded, Ino went under the tutelage of Ibiki and Shizune and her father and it's been hard enough to juggle between the three of them so she guessed she just put her old team at the very last of her priority. Ino knew Asuma ate out with Chouji and played shogi with Shikamaru a lot and there were countless of training she'd missed, but only now she ever felt like an outsider to her own team. Sakura once told her that her motivation to succeed was because the boys in her team were growing so fast, spurred by the rivalry in which their Sensei was more than happy to help and she often felt left alone. She often felt that she was nothing but a means to feed those boys' ego to protect a girl. Sakura felt weak and useless, which she admitted that she was, and that was the reason of all her hard work. Ino had thought that she wouldn't be like that because everyone in her team completely relied on her and was completely dependent on her. Shikamaru wouldn't wake up if she didn't come to his windows to wake him up so he could come to the training on time. Chouji would definitely get a stomachache if she didn't -very smoothly- limit his eating. They would just avoid every single enemy they encounter if she didn't encourage the team to stand their ground and fight it. She was the one everyone depends on, and yet, now Chouji and Shikamaru had changed and only now Ino fully realized that they longer needed her. Chouji was now able to control his eating and Shikamaru was responsible enough to go to a meeting on time. They were now confident enough to fight enemies and knowing fully that they'd prevail. It was all good progress, of course, but Ino felt that what made her the most significant to that group was gone. She was no longer needed and could easily be replaced to any other Yamanaka, or worse any other _girl_. Girl that was only meant to feed Shikamaru and Chouji's ego as a man so they could protect a girl_._ She drifted away from the team but it had meant nothing. They didn't need her.

"My, you're _very_ early." His husky voice dragged her back to reality. She shrugged to find her handsome sensei smiling at her though it quickly changed into a frown. "Hey, why are you crying?"

Ino instinctively touched her wet cheek. It appeared that some of her tears managed to stream out her eyes in her musings without her knowledge. Ino immediately wiped it and shook her head.

"No, it was nothing. Let's go already."

She got up and ran through the forest ahead of him, but he easily matched her pace. Asuma stomped his burnt out cigarette to the ground and gave her a look.

"I won't ask twice, but you know the drill. You can always tell me what happen."

"The last time I told you about something personal, you told my father." Ino shot Asuma a look. "It took me long enough to trust you again."

"Hey. Himura was definitely a philandering bastard and when you didn't heed my advice, of course I have to tell your father."

Ino gave Himura a thought. He was the civilian version of Genma and was an incredibly good looking man and more importantly, he showed interest for her. Ino knew that he was notorious with woman but she couldn't help to feel flattered. To be the subject of interest of someone that handsome had given her pride quite a boost and that felt good.

"That was beside the point."

"That was exactly the point. I'm not promising you that I won't tell, but I _will_ help."

"Okay." Ino nodded just for the sake of ending the conversation. She then glanced at her sensei once again, just for the sake of completely relishing the moment she had missed because of her pensiveness earlier. Shikamaru and Chouji could go to hell for now, Asuma was as handsome as ever -or as _recently _\- and he was igniting his lighter for a new cigarette and there was just the two of them in that wide forest. Ino sighed out of happiness.

"What's that sigh for?"

Ino smiled. "Nothing."

"How's your boyfriend, by the way, Isamu, if I'm not mistaken?"

"We're long over." Ino replied. She was thinking that Asuma was so out of touch with her life and then it hit her that it was not him that was out of touch with her. It was her that was out of touch with the rest of the team. Sure she still trained and ate out with them all the time, but it was nothing but to fulfill an obligation, a routine. She was so wrapped up in her belief that she hadn't drifted away from the team, she _actually_ drifted away from them.

"That was fast." Asuma commented.

"Well, it's over." Ino shrugged. "I have another guy I like now."

_You._

Asuma shook his head. "I have half the mind to lecture you about something then I figure that it won't do anything anyway. You're always so stubborn."

"Good then. I'm not treating you to a concert and a crazy ass expensive cigarette to get lectured."

A moment of silence passed between the two of them and Ino was just about to start a new conversation when Asuma spoke out first.

"I change my mind. I have to tell you, okay? It's my obligation as your teacher."

"_Ex _-teacher." She pointed out. Ino believed that if their relationship stayed within the teacher-student boundaries, Asuma would never ever take her seriously. She would forever be the 12 year old student who acted like what her Sensei did was very normal even though deep down she was completely awed by it. And he saw right through it. She wanted to open his eyes and saw her for what she was now.

"You're still calling me sensei, so I'm still your teacher."

"Asuma." She called his name experimentally then she winced and stuck out her tongue as if she just swallowed something bitter. "Blah. I can't call you that and not feeling I'm as old as you are."

"You're just younger than me. It hardly means I'm old."

"Potato, potahto." Ino waved her hand in dismissal. "I'm calling you sensei out of habit, though those words hardly meant anything anymore."

"That sounds cruel." Asuma noted. "It's weird how all the mean things you said no longer hurts me."

Ino gave him an amused look. "Well, that's interesting since I didn't mean anything hurtful."

Asuma gave it a thought. "Yeah. Figure it's just natural for you. Anyway, I just want to say that … maybe, just maybe,you shouldn't hop on and off relationships, okay? I mean, just don't be like Genma."

Ino snorted.

"Come on, Sensei. Now you're the one who said all the mean things. I mean, Genma is a … a … _womanizer_. I don't even have my first kiss yet."

She regretted her words as soon as it came out of her mouth.

She wanted to take it back, made up some lies about a handsome guy she met and what a great kisser he was but Ino knew that Asuma would have seen through her. Thus, she only chewed on her upper lips nervously and waited for his response.

"Ha. You're just a child, so you better not throw that kiss around yet."

That was exactly the kind of response she dreaded the most.

The kind of response that confirmed her suspicion all along. The kind of response that told her that she was just that in Asuma's eyes, a kid. Who wants a kid as a lover? Ino took a deep breath and calmed herself down. That was what this trip was for, to change his impression of her, to show him that she was a young woman who had her share of the real world.

"I'm not a child!" She refuted.

"Hmm … really? I do find the fact that you refuse to stop calling me sensei just because you don't want to feel old a bit childish. Don't you?"

Ino pouted.

"That," Asuma pointed at her pouting lips. "Is also childish."

"I'm 16 years old. Not a child anymore."

Asuma shrugged. "You'll always be a child in my eyes no matter how old you are."

_Please don't._

"Why? I can stand up for myself now, I'm independent, I'm brave, I'm responsible for my actions. Even though I'm a little bit vain, that doesn't make me any less adult than you are."

Asuma exhaled a puff of smoke. "Funny thing is, you've always been all that even when you're still nothing but a recently graduated ninja. Don't worry, it's just a teacher thing."

There was a short pause before he continued. "I guess you're the only one who doesn't change. Shikamaru's not such a lazy ass now and Chouji's not all about food anymore. However you're … you're still the same loud mouth I met on the training ground years ago."

Ino tried to digest his words, examining its words one by one, scrutinizing over every syllable. There was a figurative lump on her throat when she spoke up.

"Are you saying that I'm the only one who doesn't progress?"

A part of her wanted to tell him about the list of ability she had acquired over the years. She was definitely a much better ninja than she was at the first time they met.

"I'm saying that you're fine the way you are." Asuma said, something in his tone made it seemed like he too just found this out when he said it out loud. "That nothing needs to be changed for you to be better."

Ino looked at Asuma who looked back at her, smiling. "You're the same girl I met years ago and it's perfectly fine."

She could feel herself starting to blush, so she looked away nervously. "Flattery won't take you anywhere."

"Are you sure? Himura sure got somewhere with all those flatteries for you." He teased her.

"Seriously? You're bringing up Himura again?"

Asuma laughed.

They went on and finally arrived at a small town and decided to have a lunch in a small restaurant. They both ordered the restaurant's specialty which was beef katsudon, and sat on one of the table. The restaurant was almost empty, there was just a group of seven people who sat quite far away from them. A family, Ino deduced, from the variety of age in that table.

"Back to my point," Asuma began as he lit his lighter to burn another cigarette. "Stay faithful to one guy is the only way to go."

"As if you didn't have tons of girlfriends when you're my age." Ino scoffed.

Asuma didn't answer for a moment. "I guess no. It's always been Kurenai for me."

Ino's heart skipped a beat. She would have said 'aww' or teased him mercilessly in the past, back when she had no feelings whatsoever with him. However, now that the game changed, her face could only contorted a twisted smile. She suddenly felt stupid for trying to get between Asuma and Kurenai and the task felt impossible. However, the feeling wouldn't just go away and she was sick of it, sick of herself for liking her own teacher, sick of herself for wanting to separate the perfect couple but this was the first time in her life that she was so sure of who she wanted. This was the first time that she truly liked someone that felt real, Sasuke was close enough to her and was real enough sure, but he was like a dream that was hard to reach. Asuma on the other hand, he was real and more importantly, he was there for her.

"I'm waiting on your cheesy merciless teasing."

Ino rolled her eyes. "The joke's getting old."

"Like you are." Asuma riposted.

Ino smiled at him. "Oh, Sensei. You better rethink your decision about saying mean things to me."

"As I said before, I've grown immune to your tendency to say mean things."

Ino was about to offer him some snarky retort when she noticed a group of men in green robe just passed by the restaurant. She frowned.

"Sensei? Do you remember our last mission to Kiri?"

"The terrorist movement? Yes I do, why?"

"I think I recognize one of the terrorist just walked past by this shop and the green robe was too suspicious." She instinctively stood up.

"We've banished them, you must see the wrong … hey Ino!"

She already went out the restaurant and followed the men in green.

"Ino." Asuma caught up to her. "This is our days off and we've banished them alright? So let's enjoy ourselves."

"Just one look won't hurt." Ino persisted as she quickened the pace, trying to catch up to the green group. "Who knows what they're actually planning."

"And who knows that they're actually planning something." Asuma rolled his eyes. "This is ridiculous."

Ino gave her teacher a pleading look. "Please?"

"No. You need to stop butting into other people's business. Trust me this time, okay?"

She took a moment of consideration before answering. "Okay."

"Good, let's go back and eat our lunch."Ino gave the now distant people one last look.

She could feel that something was wrong.

XXX

Asuma leaned back to his seat as he idly tapped his foot lightly on the ground, matching the rhyme of the melodious jazz tune that was skilfully played by the member of the band. He'd never admit it to Ino that he actually loved jazz and he mistook the Mizugi band as the Mizu band, a well-known death metal band throughout the fire country. The trip had turned out to be surprisingly nice even though he was initially reluctant to go with Ino, even without factoring in the band. It had been long since the last time they spend time with each other and Ino had been so busy juggling between Ibiki, Inoichi and Shizune as her new mentor and even though no one really talked about it, her drifting away from the rest of the team felt so obvious. Ever since her genin days, out of all three students he had, Ino had always been the most independent one. She always knew how exactly her life will go, what she will become, where she will be, and when she will achieve it, she never needed any real help. It was only natural that Asuma paid more attention the other two, the more clueless ones.

So, when Ino appeared helpless and stick with Ibiki all the time, Asuma couldn't help but to feel a bit jealous. He started to question if he was an adequate teacher for her. There was no questioning Ibiki's ability to make anyone feel helpless, but this was Ino. He was so sure Ino was accepted as Ibiki's protégé because she could hold on her own.

Those dark days seemed have to pass since Ino recently had started to spend a lot more time with the old team. Asuma could feel that Shikamaru and Chouji secretly welcomed back the bossy, controlling loud mouth even though they complained about it all the time. Still, something felt amiss, it was like the Ino they all knew back then had changed. She changed, but what changed, neither could Asuma nor Chouji nor Shikamaru tell. Not that they talked about it either. As Ino had said in the past, they were men and men didn't talk about stuffs like that. Besides, she was practically still the same girl who always had something to say in the past.

Speaking about always had something to say … Asuma turned to look at the surprisingly quiet Ino beside him. Almost unsurprisingly, there was no Ino next to him. Asuma frowned as he failed to notice her gone, but she might only went to the toilet. He shifted back his attention the band that's playing as it played a familiar melody and Asuma found himself humming after it. He really should thank Ino for the trip. They stayed at a modest inn nearby the venue and the food there was really good, most importantly, Ino got him the box of Royal Lights she promised him even though the exchange of the box seemed to not include money _at all._ When he asked her about it, she only gave him a secretive smile.

Asuma had learned that when it comes to Ino sometimes it's better not to ask further.

The music went on and on and when the band declared that they're going to play the last song, Asuma started to worry that Ino hadn't come back to her seat yet. Even though reluctant, Asuma knew for sure that something was definitely wrong since Ino was so excited to watch the band so she couldn't just simply left. He left his seat and tried to search her among the sea of people. He might not be a sensor as good as Ino, but he still tried to find trace of her familiar chakra somewhere in crowd. It was very vague but he could follow the trail. It was hard navigating through all these people as the chakra trail brought her backstage. He could start to feel an annoyance surfaced in his mind. He had used energy to worry about her and navigated through the sweaty, foul smelling crowd and if she appeared to be only fan-girling back stage – which is very likely – that would have been a waste. Ino would have said that it's not his business, but she should have told him. Asuma could already conjured how their argument would go, but what came in front of him was not in his calculation.

It was the green robe men she was suspicious of earlier.

"Get off our way, young girl." One of them said. "Sacrifice is always needed for changes."

"Take it off now." Ino hissed. "Or swear to God, I'll kill you myself."

"No. This would have sent quite a strong message to the whole world."

Asuma thought about showing up and asking them what was wrong and what kind of fuss did Ino make but before he could do anything, another man said something inaudible and at that second, series of explosion started all around the concert hall.

In that instant, Asuma was thrown back hard to the nearest pillar which was slowly falling down. Ignoring the excruciating pain on his whole body, he rolled aside, easily avoiding the falling pillar. His ears were still ringing but he could hear panic yells albeit very distant. Then his mind registered one name.

_Ino._

Asuma spitted out blood, it seems the hit was harder than he thought. He tried to stand up and even though his foot tried to defy his order to walk by sending numerous painful signal through his nerve, Asuma limped through, he's been through worse. Ino hadn't. He limped through about seven corpses of people and his heart beat faster, Ino was closer to the explosion source and death was totally possible. Adrenaline started to rush through every vein in his body, momentarily nulling every pain; Sarutobi Asuma began to run in panic. There was no way that he'd let her die here. Or anywhere. He went through more dying people and corpses before finally he saw those familiar blonde locks. He rushed closer and Ino turned around and met his gaze. Her clothes were singed at the most part, her body was covered in blood even though judging from the green light in her right hand, she was still capable of healing herself.

"Ino!" Asuma called out to her. "Are you okay?"

Ino nodded weakly even though now that he saw her closer, her whole body was trembling.

"I'm almost dead. Literally so close to death." She shivered.

"You're fine now." Asuma checked for any wound but it all appeared to only be superficial.

"I'm shielding myself at the very last second but if I'm late for just one second, I'll be dead now." She looked at him, and for the first time since they met, Asuma saw in Ino what he had never seen before. It was genuine fear. It was as if all her confidence had all evaporated. There was no longer defiance, pride, or vanity in her eyes, it was only fear. It was scary to see her like that, it was like seeing a perfectly crafted building crumbling down before his eyes.

"I'm … I'm almost dead, Sensei." Ino repeated herself, her body still trembling all over.

"Yes, but you're fine now." Asuma said. "I'm here."

Then he hugged her, to ensure that he was really there for her, that she will be protected even if he died. Her body was cold and limp against his.

"I'm here." He affirmed his point as he let go. "So chin up, we're a Konoha shinobi, we bear with us the will of fire within, and let's help people who needed help."

"Sensei." Ino whispered. "I really don't want to tell you this now."

"What?" He asked.

"I love you."

Rain started to fall down as if in cue with her confession, as if the world already started to give away their condolences for her. Asuma looked at her with a frown on his face, he was waiting for the punch line. The punch line that never came, of course, because it wasn't a joke. Not that she'd joke at this kind of situation. Her head was dizzy from the pain and judging from the loss of her blood, she could tell that she was going anemic. Nevertheless she still watched as thousands of emotions flashed through Asuma's eyes.

"Don't say crazy things." He said. "You're shocked, that's all."

"It's crazy but it's true. It's the reason of this whole trip." Ino said. "I'm almost dead just minutes ago, Sensei. I'm not wasting my time keeping that a secret anymore."

"Let's get you to safety first." Asuma ignored her comment and helped her stand. They walked through countless of dead people and Ino knew that had she not confessed her feelings, he would have asked her about the culprit of this whole disaster. The man in the green robe. The suicidal terrorists.

"You know it's impossible, right?" He told her out of the blue.

"Because of Kurenai." Ino confirmed.

"Because you're my student, and yes, I love her."

Ino took a deep breath. It had sounded all wonderful and well, the idea, before. Now, her heart was breaking and her body hurts as hell all over. What a stupid idea. She pointed at a random direction.

"I'm fine now. You should go help those people, they look like they need real help."

"Ino …"

"I'm fine." She repeated, waving a hand with a green chakra. "I can heal myself alone."

She wriggled away from his hold and ran away from the site with all the chakra she had left.

He didn't call out for her.

XXX

A rain. A park. A swing.

What a cliché.

Yamanaka Ino had spent all her life willing herself to be the girl that is beautiful, refined, fashionable at one side, but also tough, courageous, and deadly at the other side. The very definition of the perfect kunoichi. Yet there she was, being glad that the downpour hid her tears and the thunder blurred her sob as she sat limply on a swing at the empty park, her body undoubtedly drenched all over.

She deserved to do that, she thought. She had, out of vanity, healed all the scars on her face, but as she started to move on to the other parts of her body, she found out the she ran out of chakra. She was too tired to walk on, and to be really honest, she was reluctant to come back to the inn because she was not ready to meet Asuma yet.

_What a foolish action._

Ino had thought about those exact words again and again over the last half an hour she had sat on that swing. Ibiki had once told her that if she wanted to do something she should sit on it for at least an hour before she did it. He told her that an hour was enough to give her a calm, rational mind that could give her equally rational result. She should have heed that advice instead of blurting out to Asuma about her feeling. On her defense though, she was greatly shaken and death had never felt so close. She just _needed_ that secret to be out. She just _needed_ him to know what the whole thing was all about. Though still, there she was. Ino was not a stranger to a broken heart, but this one hit her especially bad. She had been so insecure about her position in the team, and now that this incident happened, she was sure that she would just drift away further from the group. Ino cried out even more. Her body ached, her heart hurt, and her pride wounded. She wasn't even sure that she wanted to have a trip back with Asuma. Maybe she'd just make up some lousy reasons so they could go home at different times. Asuma would understand, he always did.

"Good God, Ino. You're going to be sick if you sat out during the rain like that." His voice, all husky from the smoking, was unmistakable. It was almost as if her thought had summoned him.

Ino closed her eyes. She wasn't ready to meet Asuma yet.

"I'll be fine." She replied, half-yelling, trying to beat the sound of the downpour that surrounded them. Much to her dismay, Asuma came closer to her and finally stopped in front of her, his tall body towered over her seating figure.

"You need a medical care." He told her. "Those wounds won't close itself. I don't peg you as someone who would appreciate scars all over her body."

There was a silence on her side. He was right. She wouldn't appreciate scars on her body, or even just a scar. Being a kunoichi is a risky and dangerous job, but still, Ino treated her body like a temple and what good would a temple do with a scar on it?

"I'll be fine." She repeated once again, her pride won the battle against her vanity.

Asuma sighed as he closed his umbrella and sat on the swing next to her. It's somehow a predictable move for Ino. She always knew that Asuma would always try to understand and would always try to make her understand.

"Listen." He began.

"Don't." Ino breathed. Her voice was just a touch above a whisper, but Asuma could still hear it.

"I know what you're going to say. So, just let me recover from … _this,_ and we'll all go back to the happy team we once were."

Asuma chuckled. "You might have been going under Ibiki's tutelage, but I know you well enough to know that you're going to try your best to avoid team training for at least six months."

There was a playful glint on his eyes when she said that and Asuma knew he was trying to cheer her up with his smartass remark, but Ino didn't feel better. She was still embarrassed.

"Maybe." She admitted. "Not that it would make much different anyway."

"What do you mean?"

Ino sighed. "You're right. Shikamaru's not lazy and Chouji's not all about food anymore, and I can see that it's why you acknowledge them. It's why you appreciate them because they can overcome their flaw. That's why you see them differently."

She looked at him and their gaze met. "It's all good of course, but I can't help to feel useless, you know? I'm supposed to be one they all depend on, and yet now if they let me be in control, I feel like they're just like you, surrendering control to me. It's not because they're clueless about what to do next anymore, hell, Shikamaru might even have manipulated me into making a decision he actually wanted to make, now that we know he had such a high IQ or something."

"You're still a part of us." Asuma said.

"Well, but I'm like appendix. The kind of part that you would have no problem discarding. Life would go on without me. I was fine with that, I was fine with telling myself that nothing is wrong with my old genin team, I was fine with telling myself that my reluctance to go to all those trainings is not because I don't feel important anymore but merely because of my busy schedule."

She gave what she was going to say next a lengthy consideration. Asuma waited patiently as she took a deep breath.

"Then I found myself having feelings for you and everything changes. I do absolutely everything to banish this feeling away. I don't want to be that woman who comes between two perfectly loving people, nor do I want to be that girl who had a relationship with her teacher, but the feeling's still stuck."

"Ino, I know that you're being very fragile right now and I don't think that now's the time to …"

"Nothing's ever the time." She scoffed.

"We'll never talk about this again, in the future, you know that, I know that. And yes, I'm very fragile right now. That's what getting a bomb exploded right in front of you do tends to do to people. It reminds me that my life is short, that my life could end at any moment, this _damn_ thunder could have struck me at any time, so I just want you to know."

"And of course you love her." She added softly. "I know, you don't have to tell me twice. I don't even know what to ask of you. "

"I'm sorry." He muttered.

"Because I'm just a kid in your eyes." She felt her tears streamed down her face, its hotness felt clear against the cold downpour.

"Will you ever see me as that, Sensei? A woman?" She turned to him. "What can I do to make you see me as that?"

"It's not about that."

"It's exactly about is it because I'm too ugly? Too fat?"

"You think I'd care about something as superficial as that?" His voice rose, he was clearly offended by that question. Ino thought that Asuma had no business on getting offended by that question, Kurenai had always been such a catch.

"So this is because I'm a bad person?" She retorted.

"No. This is because I'm engaged. That's all. That explains itself enough."

"So what?"

"You know the answer to your question."

Ino sighed. To be really honest, things had gone exactly _not _in the way she had planned this trip to be.

"… and you're right." Asuma continued. "Yes, I guess I didn't acknowledge you as a woman you are, which I should."

"You really should."

"I'm just so used to with you being this small girl who's eager to have control over every aspect of her life. You could have changed a lot over the years, and I wouldn't know. You'd still be that same girl in my eyes." Asuma gave her a smile.

That smile was his tell. Ino knew that he was merely cheering her up. It was merely a strategical move to bring her back to the inn. Asuma was pretending that he'd acknowledge her, and at least he managed to got her to safety and proper care. She didn't want safety nor proper care.

"Or maybe I'm just a girl in your eyes, who was going over phase of liking her teacher. Maybe you're right about that, maybe you're not. How the hell am I supposed to know? Does it really matter that I'm a girl or a woman, I don't even know that anymore. I feel lost, Sensei. I hate feeling lost like this, it's foreign. You taught me that I should collect the fact first whenever I feel lost, and right now, the only fact I know is I just … love … you."

She dropped her head. She knew that saying those three words out loud once was bad enough, now that she said it twice, it's practically catastrophe. She knew that it wouldn't help her case, she was practically being a whiny, spoiled girl who doesn't know what to do with her feelings.

She remembered vividly everything about the next moment.

The deafening sound of the downpour.

The soft sound of his swing chain as it rattled and twisted bendward.

The signature smell of the rain, with a hint of smell from cigarette that exuded from him. She remembered everything.

The umbrella on the ground, useless. The cold from the rain, and the wet clothes. The stinging pain from her wounds. The blood that dripped from the wound in her arm.

The empty park, the feel of the wet sands on her feet, the very gentle rocking of her swing.

The touch of his lips against hers.

Her very first kiss.

XXX

Human perception is weird.

It was really weird how the exact same picture could change so drastically in a mere second.

How the green, childish, controlling Ino could suddenly turn into a young woman who pronounced her love for him. He had heard words on the streets and among his own friends about how Ino was a rising star in the beautiful kunoichi department. He had been disgusted and ignored those comments, how dare they to even think about ogling at an underage girl?

Then it all happened.

The confession, the running away, the dejection. It should have done nothing to him, but it did. It changed how he saw her. Within mere seconds, the stubborn, love obsessed, and spoiled child that is Ino turned into this beautiful, voluptuous, foreign blonde who is wet, heartbroken, and dejected because of him. For a moment there, Asuma wasn't even sure that that was the same person he's been talking to.

It was like he was in a trance. There was no way in the world he could say no to this woman. This damsel in distress that is desperate for him to save her. So he did. He did one thing that at the moment felt like a logical step to solve her problem. One thing that would lift her up from the abyss of dejection she was in. He kissed her.

He kissed her, deeply, passionately, until they were running out of air, gasping for breath.

That was _exactly _when the regret kicked in. Sarutobi Asuma just cheated on his fiancé, the love of his life. Worse, Sarutobi Asuma just made out with his own student. He wanted for that changed view to revert back. He figured that he wanted to see Ino just as nothing but a girl. God didn't grant his wish. This foreign beautiful woman batted her thick eyelashes at him, she was clearly surprised herself of the turn of events. Her cold, trembling hand reached for his cheek and she leaned in closer, ready for another of what he had just given her.

To hell with regrets.

.

.

.

Denial upon denial upon denial.

He rained her with denial. He blamed the adrenaline rush. He blamed the bomb. He blamed everything he could put his hand on. They made out _several times _during this trip, but that shouldn't change anything when they actually get back home. He had Kurenai to get back to and she had a boy she truly deserved.

_Shikamaru._

Asuma wanted to kick himself on the ass upon realizing that not only had he betrayed his dearest fiancée, Kurenai, he also betrayed his student, Shikamaru. The young Nara heir accidentally blurted out his feelings for her during one of their shogi games and even though it took a long time for him to truly admit it, Asuma had been his loyal confidant since then.

Ino had insisted to be his mistress, saying that she could bear everything that comes with it and was well aware of what it meant. Asuma told her that she had a bright future in front of her and that she wouldn't want to waste it on someone like him. Someone who's about to get married, someone old, her own teacher. She shrugged it away and Asuma hated it when she suddenly got all physical. Who's this woman, really? The Ino he knew was never modest about touching and hugging people, but this Ino that just appeared was simply irresistible. Every move she made was an innuendo. So that was when he decided to stop himself.

To tell her the things that he had been meaning to say on the swing when their first kiss. To tell her stuffs he needed to tell her before everything gone wiry. She was so confident that he wouldn't ever hurt her but Asuma knew that it could easily go disastrous. He knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling, and how his self-restraint was slowly thinning with each kiss they were sharing. How his mind started to whisper to his ear that the urge he was starting to feel was natural and it was okay.

Asuma had to stop or he'd truly do the unforgivable.

He took his lighter from the vest pocket and ignited it. _Flick._ _Swoosh. _Deep inhale. Something that tastes heavenly. Exhale.

He took a close look at the cigarette pack before he put it back to his pocket. Royal Lights. The one that started this all.

"I'm sorry I'm late." She strode inside the café they were in, boldly pronouncing her presence to the whole café.

_One. Two. Three. Four._ Asuma darted his eyes around the café. Four men were ogling at her during that short period. He had to admit that this was becoming a habit though Asuma was pretty sure that he shouldn't do that. He couldn't get really irritated or annoyed if someone made a move on Ino because he was no one to her. He was her teacher and it was supposed to be all about business. He had violated that, there's no need to worsen it further by actually getting all protective about her when it comes to other guys.

"I can't believe that Tsunade's still questioning me about the bomb. She's worried I might have PTSD or something. As if." She scoffed.

"Ino, we really need to stop this."

"What's this?" She batted her eyes innocently at him.

Asuma could feel something stirred inside of him upon the innocent smile. He was so sick for having this kind of infatuation over her. He gritted his teeth.

"No. Seriously."

"Yeah, just tell me what needed to be stopped and I'll understand."

"You want me to spell it out for you? Fine. I want us to stop having those affairs. We're teacher and student, I'm engaged, you're underage, and Inoichi is _literally_ going to kill me if he found out."

Ino was about to answer but Asuma continued first.

"And I am not sure I can stop myself from going further and really hurt you."

Ino closed her eyes. "I refuse."

_Of course she will._

"We can keep this a secret." She said.

"No. We can't go on further." Asuma insisted. "For real, things have changed now."

"Changed?"

"Kurenai's pregnant."

XXX

There was an earthquake, and a tornado, and a landslide, and every possible disaster there is in her world right now. Her world was shaken.

Kurenai's pregnant and that indeed changed everything. Ino thought that while Asuma could maintain the façade of going out with Kurenai, she could steal him by the time she turned 18. By the time she was of age. People would still talk, but by that time, she would be considered an adult and adult gets to make their own decision.

"You have to marry her."

"That's always my intention all along." Asuma nodded. "You are the factor I never predict."

"Of course I'm not." Ino sighed. "So this is it."

"This is it."

They looked at each other.

"Sensei?"

"What?"

"Do you know the small forest next to the forest of death?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"Will you come with me there?"

His face was conflicted. Asuma knew Ino's intention all along but he also knew that there were tears on her face right now. He should have said no. He should have told her no. However, with how they are now, Ino knew that he wouldn't have the heart to. Her heart fell, she always wanted to be a strong and tough kunoichi who shows no fear toward anything, who win against men with skill and ability. Now she's just a normal woman, who win against a man with every technology known to woman: tears.

She didn't quite remember when exactly he started to hold her hands on their way to that small, secluded forest. All she knew was that she loved it. They had shared hundreds of kisses before but him holding her hands made her feel warm inside. Ino looked at him. He was deeply in thought, his face was stern, and his expensive cigarette burnt itself on his mouth, wasted.

"We're here." Asuma said. "What now?"

"I want to say thank you and sorry." Ino said.

"You don't have to. To both."

They looked at each other again as moments passed. Ino wanted to say a lot of things, _selfish _things, but she reminded herself that she was better than that. She had lost, and it would have been worse if she became a sore loser.

"You do realize that I love you, like _love love_, right?"

Asuma blinked. "Don't throw those words around, Ino. Someday, you'll find a man you love, a man who can actually make you happy."

"And you're not."

"I am made for Kurenai, it seems." Asuma smiled.

Ino gave him a sad smile and took the cigarette from his mouth. She ignored his protest and took a deep inhale herself. She always wanted to know the flavor Royal Lights has. How this cigarette, that get her through all this, tasted. She exhaled it quickly.

"That tasted goddamn awful. Will you make it better by giving me a kiss?"

He pinned her to a tree and gave her a hungry, crushing kiss on the lips.

That was enough answer.

XXX

Three pairs of eyes were looking at her eagerly and Ino knew that she had taken too long to answer Tenten's question.

"It's raining, we're on swings at the park, and I was crying when he kissed me."

"That sounds like a fairytale." Hinata muttered.

"It still feels like that." Ino thought sadly as she reminisced about it.

"It's the perfect first kiss."

* * *

**IT IS DONE! **

**I have to admit that I got stuck and lost all kinds of inspirations and fire that I got close to the end, like seriously, all the colors in my head are just gone but I decided to push through because only God knows when will I get those colors back.**

**Yes Asuma cheated on Kurenai! Isn't that horrible? I'm sorry but in my mind Ino's such an attractive woman and I can only imagine that it'd be very flattering to be liked by such woman, so Asuma did what was natural. I'm so sorry :')****Tell me what you think about the story in the review section! I'm open to any kind of constructive criticism and any kind of review, really**

**Also I'm midway through the 20****th**** chapter of the Prettiest Girl so watch out for it!**


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